Turkey Work Visa Processing Time, Fees and Documents Required in 2026
Turkey is an increasingly compelling international career destination for Indian professionals that most people have not yet placed on their shortlist, and that relative underexploration is part of what makes it strategically interesting in 2026. With a GDP of over USD 1 trillion, a location that bridges Europe and Asia, a Vision 2053 development agenda generating thousands of new roles annually across infrastructure, smart cities, high-speed rail, and defence, consistent shortages in IT, engineering, healthcare, and construction, and a cost of living substantially below Western Europe or the Gulf, Turkey offers Indian professionals a combination of professional opportunity and financial practicality that competes well against more familiar destinations.
Over 20,000 Indians currently reside in Turkey, concentrated in Istanbul, Ankara, and Antalya, and the community is growing as more Indian professionals discover the country's professional and lifestyle proposition. The standard work time is 40 hours per week, paid leave entitlements are competitive by global standards, social security coverage through the SGK system is mandatory for all employees, and after five years of continuous legal residence Indians can apply for Turkish citizenship through the standard naturalisation pathway. For Indian professionals with USD 400,000 to invest, Turkish Citizenship by Investment through real estate is available without any residence requirement.
The Turkey work visa process is employer-led and follows a well-defined two-stage sequence. The employer applies for the work permit through the Ministry of Labour's e-permit system, and the Indian professional then applies for the work visa at the Turkish Embassy in India. This guide covers the processing time at each stage, the complete fee structure for 2026, the documents required, the eligibility conditions, the six visa types, the salary thresholds, and the pathway from initial work permit to long-term residency.
The Turkey Work Visa Processing Timeline
The Turkey work visa process has two sequential stages, and understanding the realistic timeline at each stage allows Indian professionals to plan their move accurately and avoid the frustration of setting departure dates before approvals are confirmed.
The first stage is the employer's work permit application to the Ministry of Labour. After the Turkish employer submits the work permit application through the e-permit portal, the Ministry of Labour evaluates the application and issues a decision. Processing time at this stage is typically four to eight weeks for most standard professional applications. Complex cases, applications requiring supplementary document verification, or submissions during high-volume periods may take up to twelve weeks. The employer initiates this process entirely on the Turkish side, and the Indian professional's role at this stage is providing their personal documents to the employer for inclusion in the submission.
The second stage begins when the work permit is approved and the employer notifies the Indian professional. The Indian applicant then applies for the work visa at the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi or the Turkish Consulate General in Mumbai. Visa processing time at this stage is typically two to four weeks from the submission of a complete application. Applications with complete documentation are consistently at the faster end. Requests for additional documents extend the timeline.
The total realistic processing time from the employer initiating the work permit application to the Indian professional holding a valid work visa and travelling to Turkey is typically six to twelve weeks. Planning for the ten-week midpoint of this range and avoiding setting non-refundable departure arrangements until the work permit approval is confirmed is the most practical approach.
After arriving in Turkey, the Indian professional must register for a biometric residence permit within the first weeks of arrival. Residence permit registration involves an appointment at the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management in the city of residence and the payment of a residence permit card fee. Processing the residence permit after the appointment typically takes three to six weeks, during which the applicant can work legally in Turkey on the basis of the work permit.
The Complete Fee Structure for 2026
The Turkey work visa fee structure for 2026 is divided between the government work permit fees payable in Turkey by the employer and the visa application fees payable by the Indian applicant at the Turkish Embassy in India.
The Temporary Work Permit fee for an initial one-year permit is INR 35,200 in government fees plus INR 2,700 for the permit card. The Independent Work Permit fee for self-employed professionals is INR 35,200 plus INR 2,700. The Permanent Work Permit fee for professionals reaching the eligibility threshold after many years of Turkish work is INR 35,200 plus INR 2,700. The Turquoise Card, Turkey's equivalent of a permanent professional status card for exceptional international talent, is INR 35,200 plus INR 2,700.
These are the Turkish government fees. The work visa fee payable at the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi is separate and is typically INR 3,500 to INR 6,500 depending on the current bilateral fee schedule at the time of application. This fee is paid by the Indian applicant at the embassy appointment.
Additional costs for Indian applicants include MEA apostille fees of INR 500 to INR 2,000 per document, certified Turkish translation fees of INR 2,000 to INR 5,000 per document for documents not in English, police clearance certificate costs of INR 500 to INR 1,000, medical insurance premiums for the initial period of INR 5,000 to INR 15,000, and one-way airfare from major Indian cities to Istanbul or Ankara of approximately INR 20,000 to INR 40,000 depending on timing and origin.
The Six Types of Turkey Work Permit
Turkey offers six distinct work permit categories for Indian professionals, each designed for a specific employment situation.
The Employment Purpose or Special Employment Purpose Work Permit is the most widely used and most relevant category for Indian professionals in full-time roles with Turkish employers across IT, construction, manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and services. It covers regular employment relationships where a Turkish employer hires an Indian professional for a defined role. The permit is initially issued for one year and is renewable for three years and then six years, with eventual eligibility for the indefinite work permit.
The Assigned Lecturers and Academics Work Permit is for Indian teachers, professors, and academic staff appointed by Turkish universities or educational institutions. It allows teaching, research, and academic work for the approved period and is renewable subject to continued institutional appointment.
The Assigned Sportsperson Work Permit covers Indian athletes officially contracted by Turkish sports clubs. It covers training, competition participation, and professional sporting activity.
The Assigned Artists Work Permit is for Indian musicians, dancers, actors, painters, and performers invited to work in Turkey for cultural or artistic engagements.
The Assigned Free Zone Workers Work Permit covers Indian nationals employed by companies operating in Turkey's designated free economic zones.
The Assigned Journalists Work Permit is for Indian journalists officially assigned by foreign media organisations to work in Turkey for reporting or media coverage.
Eligibility Requirements and Salary Thresholds
Turkey's work permit eligibility framework includes both individual applicant requirements and employer-side conditions that must both be met before a permit can be approved.
For the individual applicant, a bachelor's degree or higher is required for most skilled professional roles. Master's or doctoral degrees strengthen applications for research, healthcare, and academic positions. Vocational or technical certification is accepted for trade and manufacturing roles. Indian degrees from recognised institutions are generally accepted but must be apostilled through the MEA and accompanied by certified Turkish translations. Relevant work experience of two to three years is expected for most roles, with senior and specialist positions requiring five or more years.
The salary thresholds are among the most structurally distinctive features of Turkey's work permit system and directly affect eligibility for different categories of role. For skilled employees in standard professional roles, the minimum salary is approximately three times the Turkish national minimum wage, which in 2026 translates to approximately TRY 60,000 or more per month. For department heads and senior managers, the threshold is six times the minimum wage. For aviation pilots and specialist engineers, the threshold is nine times the minimum wage. For key personnel and company partners or executives, the threshold is four times the minimum wage.
Turkish is not mandatory for many corporate, technology, or multinational company roles where English is the working language. For client-facing roles in the domestic market, hospitality management, and education, Turkish language proficiency is an advantage that improves integration and career progression significantly.
The employer must also meet specific conditions. The Turkish company must be registered with the Social Security Institution, known as the SGK. In most sectors, the employer must maintain a workforce ratio where foreign employees do not exceed five foreign workers per twenty Turkish employees at the time of the work permit application. There are exceptions for certain specialist roles, free zone companies, and R&D-intensive employers, but this ratio is the standard condition that governs most applications.
Indian professionals who want to confirm that their salary expectations, qualifications, and experience profile meet the current eligibility conditions for their target role and employer category in Turkey can use a free eligibility check to assess their position before the employer initiates the Ministry of Labour application.
The Complete Documents Checklist for Indian Applicants
A valid Indian passport with at least six months of validity remaining beyond the intended stay period. The passport must be in excellent condition with all biographical pages clearly legible.
Two recent passport-sized photographs meeting the Turkish Embassy specification.
The completed Turkish visa application form, available from the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi or the Turkish Consulate General in Mumbai.
The approved work permit letter from Turkey's Ministry of Labour, provided by the employer after the permit is granted. This document is the central evidence of authorised employment and is required to proceed with the visa application.
The signed employment contract from the Turkish employer confirming the role, salary, contract duration, and employer's registered business details. The salary in the contract must meet the applicable minimum threshold for the permit category.
Educational certificates covering all relevant degrees and professional qualifications, apostilled through the MEA and accompanied by certified Turkish translations. All documents not in Turkish or English require translation by a certified sworn translator.
A detailed CV summarising educational and professional history relevant to the offered role.
Work experience letters from all previous employers confirming designation, period of employment, and nature of responsibilities.
A Police Clearance Certificate from the Passport Seva Kendra, apostilled through the MEA. The PCC must be recent and may require certified Turkish translation.
Medical insurance valid in Turkey for the initial stay period. After starting work, the employer registers the employee with the SGK social security system, which provides comprehensive healthcare coverage from the point of registration, but private insurance is required for the visa application stage.
Proof of accommodation in Turkey for the initial period, through a confirmed rental agreement, employer-arranged housing, or a hotel booking.
The Application Process Step by Step
The Turkey work visa process for Indian professionals follows a nine-stage sequence that spans both the employer's actions in Turkey and the applicant's actions in India.
The first step is the Indian professional receiving a confirmed job offer from a Turkish employer registered with the SGK with a salary meeting the applicable threshold for the work permit category.
The second step is the employer applying for the work permit through Turkey's Ministry of Labour e-permit portal. The employer provides their company registration documents, the employment contract, and the Indian applicant's personal documents. The Turkish employer is the sole applicant at this stage.
The third step is the Ministry of Labour reviewing and issuing the work permit approval. Processing takes four to eight weeks for most standard applications.
The fourth step is the Indian professional applying for the work visa at the Turkish Embassy in New Delhi. The application is submitted with all required documents including the work permit approval letter. An interview appointment is typically required.
The fifth step is submitting biometric details at the embassy appointment.
The sixth step is paying the visa application fee at the embassy appointment.
The seventh step is the embassy interview, which is typically brief and covers the nature of the employment, the employer's business, and the applicant's qualifications. Well-prepared applicants with complete documentation typically complete this stage efficiently.
The eighth step is awaiting the visa decision, which takes two to four weeks from the appointment date.
The ninth step is travelling to Turkey with the approved work visa and completing residence registration with the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management within the required period after arrival.
Top Sectors and In-Demand Roles
IT and software development is Turkey's fastest-growing sector for international professional recruitment. Software developers, cloud engineers, cybersecurity analysts, data scientists, and ERP specialists are consistently in demand across Istanbul's growing technology startup ecosystem and the multinational company operations of major international firms including Microsoft Turkey, Oracle Turkey, SAP Turkey, and IBM Turkey.
Healthcare shortages are persistent across specialist physicians, surgeons, nurses, dentists, and medical researchers. Istanbul's major private hospital groups including AcΔ±badem, Medipol, and Memorial are internationally oriented employers that have established procedures for hiring and credentialling Indian medical professionals.
Engineering demand spans civil, mechanical, electrical, structural, and petroleum disciplines across Turkey's major infrastructure pipeline under Vision 2053, which includes high-speed rail expansion, smart city development, port infrastructure, and energy projects.
Construction and infrastructure project management, defence and aerospace engineering, manufacturing including automotive, textiles, and pharmaceuticals, tourism and hospitality management, and education including STEM teaching and university faculty are all consistently active hiring categories for qualified Indian professionals.
Salaries and the Financial Case for Turkey
Turkey's salary landscape, when viewed in INR terms rather than relative to European comparisons, offers meaningful value for Indian professionals at mid to senior level.
Entry-level professionals earn TRY 25,000 to TRY 40,000 per month, equivalent to approximately USD 8,800 to USD 14,000 per year or INR 7.3 to INR 11.7 lakh per year. Mid-level professionals earn TRY 45,000 to TRY 80,000 per month, approximately USD 15,800 to USD 28,000 per year or INR 13.2 to INR 23.4 lakh per year. Senior-level professionals earn TRY 90,000 to TRY 150,000 or more per month, approximately USD 31,500 to USD 52,500 or more per year, which is INR 26.3 to INR 43.8 lakh per year.
These salary levels, combined with employer-provided benefits including SGK social security coverage, annual bonus equivalent to one to two months' salary, private health insurance in corporate roles, and transport and meal allowances, produce a total compensation package that is meaningful relative to India's metro professional market while supporting the substantially lower cost of living in Turkey.
Turkish lira inflation has affected real purchasing power for locally denominated salaries, and Indian professionals whose international employer pays in USD, EUR, or GBP while they are based in Turkey are in the strongest financial position. For Turkish employer-paid roles, the salary growth and inflation interaction should be factored into any multi-year financial planning.
The Citizenship and Long-Term Residency Pathway
The standard Turkey work permit is initially issued for one year, renewable for three years, and then renewable for six years. After eight years of legal work in Turkey under valid permits, the holder becomes eligible for the indefinite work permit, which provides the right to work in Turkey without renewal conditions.
After five years of continuous legal residence in Turkey, Indian nationals can apply for Turkish citizenship through the standard naturalisation pathway. Requirements include continuous legal residence, Turkish language proficiency demonstrated through a language test, a clean criminal record, and financial self-sufficiency. Turkish citizenship provides a Turkish passport with visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 110 countries and full rights to reside and work in Turkey indefinitely.
The Citizenship by Investment Programme is a faster alternative for Indian professionals with capital to invest. A minimum real estate investment of USD 400,000, or a minimum business or fund investment of USD 500,000, qualifies for Turkish citizenship without any residence requirement. This programme processes in three to six months and is designed for investors who want a Turkish passport without committing to living in Turkey.
For Indian professionals who want expert guidance on confirming their salary eligibility and permit category for a Turkey work permit, preparing the complete apostilled and translated document package, managing the Turkish Embassy visa application, and planning the pathway from initial work permit to long-term Turkish residency, Y-Axis offers comprehensive immigration support tailored to Indian applicants. Those ready to begin their Turkey career journey can book a free counselling session and receive personalised, current guidance on the most appropriate route for their professional profile in 2026.